The Hawks may be getting a key frontcourt piece back just in time for their matchup with the Lakers.
Jock Landale has been upgraded to questionable on Atlanta’s injury report ahead of tomorrow’s game, a sign he could be close to returning after missing the last four contests with a left hip strain. Atlanta also listed Asa Newell, Mouhamed Gueye, Henri Veesaar, and Keshon Gilbert as out.
One notable absence from the report is Jalen Johnson. After sitting out the previous three games, Johnson came back last night and helped power Atlanta past the Nets with 30 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. He’s healthy and available as the Hawks try to keep the momentum going.
If Landale is cleared, the bigger question is what his role looks like. Rookie Zuby Ejiofor has handled the backup center minutes over the last four games and made a strong case for staying in the mix. In that stretch, he has averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in a little more than 16 minutes per game while shooting 61.9% from the field and 42.9% from three.
Landale’s season has been rougher. In seven games, he’s averaging 6.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 44.7% overall and 17.6% from deep.
The defense has been an issue too, while Ejiofor has brought more on that end. That leaves Quin Snyder with a real decision: can both bigs share the floor, or will Atlanta stick with one?
The Lakers’ biggest injury storyline centers on Luka Doncic. He’s out tonight against Detroit with a back injury, and his status for tomorrow in Atlanta is still unclear.
If he plays, the Hawks will be staring at a major test. Atlanta’s defense has been average to below average for most of the season, and it’s been especially shaky in the last two games against the Wizards and Nets.
The Hawks do have Dyson Daniels and Lu Dort available to throw at Doncic, but that’s a tough assignment either way. Doncic is averaging 41 points per game and is the current MVP front-runner. If he suits up, this would be Atlanta’s stiffest challenge since the loss to Houston.
In Other News...
Nets Still Have A Rookie Availability Problem After Hawks Win
Brooklyns rookie rotation remains a moving target as the Nets head into their next game against the Dallas Mavericks. Egor Demin will sit out because of a right leg bone bruise, leaving the team to manage another absence in a young backcourt that has already had to adjust on the fly.
Mikel Brown Jr. is also expected to miss the matchup, this time because of a minutes restriction, keeping the Nets from leaning on another first-year option. Both rookies are viewed as possible return candidates for Brooklyns next game against the New Orleans Pelicans, but for now the team is still waiting for a clearer picture on how much of its youth can actually be available. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Rookie Suddenly Faces A Bigger Role Than Anyone Expected
During Atlantas four-game winning streak, rookie Zuby Ejiofor has gone from a fringe piece to a real part of the rotation, and the timing has mattered as much as the production. With Jock Landale and Asa Newell sidelined, Ejiofor has been pressed into a bigger role and has responded with steady minutes, giving the Hawks another useful body in the frontcourt while the team has kept rolling.
What makes the stretch notable is that Ejiofor has stayed in the mix even after Jalen Johnson returned from injury, which says plenty about how the Hawks view his value right now. He has averaged more than seven points, four rebounds and two assists during the run, and for a rookie who was not expected to be this involved this soon, that kind of contribution has helped stabilize a rotation that suddenly needed answers. [Read more 🡒]
Dyson Daniels Is Giving The Hawks Something Theyve Been Missing
Dyson Daniels has quickly become one of the most important reasons Atlanta has steadied itself during a four-game winning streak. Through the first 11 games, he has filled the box score in a way the Hawks have not had in a while, pairing scoring, rebounding, playmaking and disruptive defense to give the roster a different kind of edge on both ends of the floor.
The early-season production has fit neatly with what Daniels already brings as a two-time All-Defensive Team selection, but it has also shown how much more he can do beyond simply guarding at a high level. Atlanta has been looking for a player who can tilt possessions without needing the ball to dominate, and Daniels is giving the Hawks exactly that while leaving plenty of room for the story to keep developing. [Read more 🡒]